1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a chain conveyor for loading devices and/or conveying devices in which engaging pieces are swivelably linked to a chain, noting that the engaging pieces are linked to the chains approximately at their longitudinal center and the chain moves along a path closed in itself.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chain conveyors of the initially mentioned type are frequently also designated as wing conveyors, and there are known arrangements in which chain wings or engaging pieces, respectively, are hingedly arranged on chains being driven by deflection wheels and are deflected thereby. The engaging pieces are in most cases designed as scrapers which cooperate with a sliding surface or, respectively, a trough for the purpose of conveying the material resting on the sliding surface or the trough, respectively. In principle, there have become known two arrangements differing in the effective length of the engaging pieces. In case of central-chain conveyors, there protrudes at both sides of the chain one arm each of the engaging piece. Such arrangements are most frequently used for removal conveyor means and are only limitedly suitable for travelling along sharp curves of a conveying path. German Utility Model Patent No. 80 17 284.5 has proposed loading devices, in particular, an arrangement in which only one arm of the scraper or, respectively, wing laterally protrudes from the chain, so that also sharp curves of a conveying path can be travelled along. It is in particular when arranging such a chain conveyor as a loading conveyor on loading ramps of a drift advancing machine or excavating machine that it is possible on account of such an arrangement to remove the material from a relatively great surface area. Within the deflection area there results, however, in such an arrangement a pronounced acceleration of the outer edge of the scrapers or, respectively, the wings and in those cases in which the material is transferred from a loading conveyor onto a subsequent removal conveyor within the area of the chain deflection, the acceleration of the material results in an uncontrolled transfer of the material onto the subsequent removal conveyor. Furthermore, the effective width and, respectively, the clearable surface is limited in case of such an one-wing design of the scrapers.